“5 Ways to Master Life and Be Truly Happy”

Right now we have more people with mental illness, anxiety, and stress than at any other time in the history. But there are simple ways to change all of this… we can take control of our mind and be happy.

1 - See the Good in All Things — This may seem simple yet I have seen it do wonders for those who are clinically depressed. This is a very simple step… and this is talked about in all the spiritual texts and even Buddha talked about this. Perhaps a person can’t see anything good coming from something that happened right now… but if we look down the road sooner or later good things will come from all of this. It’s kind of like having flowers that die and the whole plant wilts. Most people would say this as bad. Yet, the nutrients of the soil are enriched by the composting of the whole plant. Thus, sooner or later we can grow more beautiful flowers and enjoy their beauty once again.

2 - Love All Things as They Are - It’s too easy to get caught up wishing this were this way or this person was this way. If we do that… we are never happy in this very moment right now. Loving what we have before us now… allows us to feel at peace, allows tension to flow away, and allows a smile come to our face. Wishing things were different only brings about regrets, guilt, shame, and self-sabotaging of our life… which keeps us stuck in negative emotions. If someone you know is pushing your buttons… let it be, love them, and know they are who they are to be right now. This takes practice, but with a little time and effort your mind will start to love life in general.

3 - Find the Source of Your Negative Thought - Many times negative thoughts come up and we don’t give it a second thought… and right away we act on that thought. But if we stop for a moment and reflect on what brought up that negative thought we can stop that kind of thinking in general. Perhaps you are angry at someone… then reflect back on what caused your anger and why that anger came about. Step out of yourself as though you are a 3rd party watching all that happened… and reflect on the whole process. Whenever we see everything from a different perspective… as if we were a bystander watching from the outside… everything changes.

4 - Go Inward Instead of Outward - Instead of looking for happiness in the world… go inward and find happiness within. All the great sages have all said “The world will never bring us happiness”. There are always ups and downs in life and eventually we find ourselves empty and lacking in anything that makes us feel good. But those who meditate find true inner joy and happiness that lasts a lifetime. Meditation takes practice, this is not something that comes about overnight. Learn T M Meditation or Vipassana Meditation and your world will change forever… I Promise! Go to T M. org and to find a T M teacher near you or google “FREE ten day Vipassana Meditation Retreats”… even the food and lodging are free.

5 - Be Still… Watch the Clouds Roll By - Right now people are so busy that they never take time to stop and just be. And one of the best ways of being is to get out in nature. Nature is a powerful way to detox our mind of negative energy. I remember passing through a grove of giant redwood trees in California… and I had to stop and just take it all in. To sit there with those majestic beings and allow the stress of the day to be sucked out of my body allowed peace to filter in. So whether it be sitting in your garden or sitting in a grove of redwoods… get out in nature… and fill your being with the amazing stillness of the cosmos.

Many Blessings to Everyone!

Dr. Paul Haider